Britain’s event riders have won Olympic team silver.
They couldn’t quite reach the Germans, who have led throughout the competition in Greenwich Park, but they held off New Zealand, who took bronze, and Sweden, who dropped to fourth.
Tina Cook, who jumped clear with one time-fault on Miners Frolic, said: “Of course it’s brilliant to win silver. I’m a lot more excited than I look! The scores are so close — it could have been a gold, it could have been nothing — but every competitor here wants gold.”
She sits in fourth place going into the individual medal decider this afternoon.
One place above her in bronze position is Mary King, who jumped a brilliant clear inside the time — which proved hard to get — on Imperial Cavalier.
Britain’s third clear round came from William Fox-Pitt, foot-perfect on Lionheart. But after his nine time-faults across country, unfortunately William was the lowest placed of the Brits and his score did not count towards the final standings.
Nor did Nicola Wilson‘s, who hit one fence on Opposition Buzz. Neither Nicola nor William will jump in the individual final, despite both being in the top 25 — Nicola 19th and William 15th — as only the three highest-placed competitors from each country are allowed through.
Zara Phillips will jump again. She and High Kingdom had four faults plus three time-penalties, and are in 14th place currently.
Sara Algotsson Ostholt holds pole position for Sweden on Wega, but looming just 0.7pen behind her is Germany’s Michael Jung, whose first round clear on Sam clinched team gold.
Don’t miss H&H’s full report of the Olympic eventing, in the issue on sale FRIDAY 3 August – 23-page special report, with comments from Ruth Edge, Pippa Funnell and Mark Phillips, pictures of every cross-country fence, stunning photos and full analysis.
